Photoluminescence studies of GaAs quantum wires with quantum confined Stark effect

We investigated the quantum confined Stark effect in GaAs quantum wires formed in a V-groove structure, demonstrating Observation of a blueshift of the photoluminescence peak with the increase of electric fields at 50 K. This blueshift is attributed to the fact that the change in enhanced binding energy of excitons due to the electric field is larger than that in quantized energy levels of electrons and holes. Time-resolved photoluminescence was also measured. The photoluminescence decay time is decreased in small quantum wires of 8 nm width with the increase of electric fields, while the decay time is increased in the quantum wires with a size of 35 nm. These results indicate that the escaping of carriers is more dominant in smaller structures than reduction of the oscillator strength due to the electric fields. (C) 1997 American institute of Physics.